ABU DHABI Ñ Kuwait, rescued by the United States in 1991 and the staging ground for a renewed U.S. military deployment has been
termed a reluctant ally in the Washington-led campaign to topple Iraqi
President Saddam Hussein.
Arab diplomatic sources and analysts said the sheikdom genuinely wants
to see Saddam removed, Middle East Newsline reported. But it fears an Arab and Islamic backlash should
Kuwait be seen as a prominent participant in the effort.
Kuwait, they said, has become a leading base for any U.S. war
against Saddam. They said more than 10,000 U.S. troops along with
fighter-jets, helicopters, main battle tanks and artillery have been
deployed in
Kuwait.
Next month, Kuwait and the United States will launch a major exercise
that will include ground, naval and air forces. The exercise, "Eager
Mace-02" will last a month.
"The price of refusing [the United States] will be very big, and will
not be consistent with
the historical and strategic context of Kuwait's relations with Iraq,"
Kuwaiti analyst Hamad Al Jasser said.
Al Jasser, writing in the Saudi-owned Al Hayat daily, said the United
States has stockpiled enough ammunition and equipment in Kuwait to supply an
armored division. He said Kuwait will serve as a major assembly point and
launching pad for a thrust into southern Iraq.
Kuwait and the United States signed a security cooperation accord in
1992 and have renewed the agreement until 2012. The sheikdom has ordered the
Apache Longbow AH-64D helicopters and also plans to procure the F/A-18
fighter-jets from the United States.
On Saturday, U.S. Central Command chief Gen. Tommy Franks said the
United States has guaranteed the security and sovereignty of Kuwait. Kuwaiti
sources said Franks discussed with government leaders U.S. plans to defend
the sheikdom from an Iraqi missile attack.
Over the weekend, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah and
Defense Minister Jaber Mubarak Al Sabah said their country would back a
military attack on Iraq that was approved by the United Nations. They denied
that Kuwait was preparing for a war against Iraq.
Al Jasser said Kuwait's biggest fear is that the United States will
either fail to topple Saddam or will abandon such an attempt at the
last minute. He said this would subject Kuwait to "massive political and
psychological pressures" from Arab rivals, including direct Iraqi
retaliation.
At that point, he said, Iraq could attack Kuwaiti strategic
installations, particularly
the sheikdom's 300 oil fields.
"If the objective of regime change fails," Al Jasser said, "or the
United States limits itself to a punitive strike [against
Baghdad] the political and psychological price will be far greater."
